Jetty, wharf and like berthing place for vessels



Dec. 25, 1945 A. l.. 1 BAKER 2,391,612

JTTY,. WHARF AND LIKE BERTHING PLACE FOP` VESSELS 49 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Nov. l5, 1944 Dec. 25, 1945.' A. l.. 1 BAKER 2,391,612

JETTY, WHARF AND LIKE BERTHING PLACE FOR VESSELS Filed Nov. l5, 1944 9Sheets-Shet 2` III/vezzoz A. L. L. BAKER JETTY, WHARF AND LIKE BERTHINGPLACE FOR VESSELS Filed Nov. l5, 1944 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 @www Ilz/v6117/5011 4, llwker' /I by De@ 25, 1945. A. L.l L. BAKER 2,391,612

JETTY, WHARF AND LIKE BERTHING PLACE FOR VESSELS Filed Nov. l5, 1944 9Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec. 25, 1945. A. l.. l.. BAKER 2,391,612

JETTY, WHARF AND LKE BERTHING PLACE FOR VESSELS Filed Nov. l5, 1944 9Sheets-Sheet 5 a Linken @M 2;? if@ Dec. 25, 1945. A. L.. L. BAKER i2,391,612

JETTY, WHARF AND LIKE BERTHING PLACE FOR VESSELS Filed Nov. l5, 1944 9Sheets-SheerI 6 VTT v gi

, i (ff, i 'lb Z22 van, ZOZD A?.L-L-lakef ec 25? l945- A. L. L. BAKERJETTY, WHARF AND LIKE BERTHING PLACE FOR VESSELS 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 FiledNov. l5, 1944 w m w I Dec. 25, 1945. A. L. I .VBAKER 2,391,612

` JETTY, WHARF AND LIKE BERTHING PLACE FOR VESSELS Filed Nov. l5, 1944 9Sheets-Sheet 8 Dec. 25, 1945. i A 1 1 BAKER 2,391,612

JET'IY, WHARF AND LIKE BERTHING PLACE FOR VESSELS Filed Nov. 15, 1944 9sheets-sheet 9 Patented Dec. 25, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT .oFFicEJETTY, WHARF. AND LIKE BER/THING PLACE FOR VESSEL'S Arthur Lemprire`La-noey Baker, Sevenoaks, England 4 Claims.

This invention relates to J'etties, wharves, 4pontoons and the likeberthing places for vessels, and has for its object to provide a.construction of berthing place for vessels furnished with fenders,suspended in such manner that theymay be displaced in an inward andupward drection'by vthe pressure exerted against them of a vessel inberthing and thus oppose a progressively increasing resistance to suchdisplacement so that shocks to vessels arising in berthing may beminimised.

According to the invention, the suspension of the fenders is eiiected bychains, cables `or other flexible or articulated elements of ,any`.convenient form.

,In certain cases the Vfender elements may be suspended by connectionsof this .character se cured .adjacent to the top of the element only.

.In other .cases they are suspended by such con nections at a positionadjacent tothe top and adjacent to the bottom of .the element andoptionally at the other convenient points in the length thereof.

Preferably, in accordance with the invention,

the means for suspending the fender elements are arranged to permit notonly motion thereof in a direction normal to the front or side of thejetty or wharf, but also laterally, and to permit further `a restricteddegree `of rotational motion of the elements.

Thus, in accordance with the invention, each of the fender elements maybe suspended by four chains or equivalent members, two of such meme bersbeing connected with the fender element adjacent to its upper end andtwo .connected with the element adjacent to its lower end.

The points of the suspension of the chains `or their equivalentsconnected with the Aupper end of each of the fender elements or theirequivalents from fixed members associated with the jetty and the pointsof suspension :of the chains or their equivalents adjacent to the lowerextremity of the fender .element will normally be so positioned withrespect to the centre of .gravity of the element that in its motiontowards the jetty it will ,remain substantially vertical, the point ofconnection of the chains or their equivalents with the element moving inan arcuate path or generally radially about their points of suspension.

To this end the point of suspension of the chains or their equivalentswhich are connected with xed members forming part of lthe jettyvstructure or secured to the jetty structure `may bepostioned slightlybehind the linnerside .of the elements and the kpoint of suspension ofthe chains or'equivalent members connected with the fender elementadjacent to its lower extremity, or it maybe positioned a correspondingdistance in an outward direction from the jetty.

Motion of the fender elements towards vthe jetty and upwards will causethe elements to be raised and the increase in .the effective weight ofthe elements as 'the result of the diminishing displacement of waterwill consequently operate to an increasing extent .in opposition to suchmotion.

1n order lthat the rate at which resistance increases with displacementmay be varied, suitably shaped surfaces may be provided against whichthe chains 1er `their equivalent will bear when the fender element isdisplaced.

As will be appreciated, thejetty must be formed or provided for,securing the elements in positio-n with means of a character Yadaptedto permit them to move in an inward and upwarddirection in taking up thepressure set up by the vessel in berthing.

For instance, in accordance with the invention, the jetty structure 4maybe provided with beams .extending 'outward and furnished with means for`engaging the chains or equivalent elements.

Thus, where the elements are secured by chains or the like at pointsadjacent to their upper and lower extremities, an upper and lower set ofbeams may be provided. and between the beams the fender elements will belocated so that they may be displaced a greater or less extent into thespace .between the beams in any direction, and are capable vof a limiteddegree of rotational motion.

The fender elements may be cylindrical or prismatic or of any other`suitable form and of a length .or height determined by the rise andfall of the .tide and by the height of free board of the vessels for theuse of which the wharves or jetties are designed.

Where the length or height thereof is greater than their diameter, `aswill be usual, they will be suspended with their major axesapproximately vertical or otherwise extending upward and downward. Insome cases it may be of advantage to vary their section or formthroughout their length to suit the ilairs of vessels, or to satisfyother requirements.

Fender elements in accordance with the invention may be applied toexisting jetties, pontoons or like structures, thus facilitatingberthing in rough water and reducing the liability of damage to such.structures `or to the vessels using them and enabling them to be usedin berthing larger vessels than those for which they were originallydesigned, as for instance by providing adequate lateral resistance inconnection with a light structure necessitated by a sea bed of lowsupporting power.

If necessary a floating boom or floating booms may be associated withthe fender elements, but the provision of such booms is not essential.

A system of four fenders each weighing 20 tons and arranged so that theymay be lifted 30 inches as the result of their displacement, will enablea vessel of 15,000 to 20,000 tons to be4 berthed at a berthing speed of1 foot per second without undue shock, the shock absorbing value of thefender elements being in such case 2,400 ton/inches.

Several constructions in accordance with the invention will be describedby way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a View in end elevation,

Figure 2 is a plan view,

Figure 3 is a View of a detail of a jetty furnished with shock absorbingfenders in accordance with the invention,

Figure 4 is a front elevation,

Figure 5 is a side sectional elevation,

Figure 6 is a section in plan, and

Figure 7 is a part sectional plan of the invention as applied to a pieror dolphin.v

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic plan view of a pier embodying fenders inaccordance with the invention,

Figure 9 being a View in elevation on a larger scale showing a pluralityof such fenders in association with means for supporting them,

Figure 10 being a corresponding plan view, and

Figure 11 a View in side elevation of the assembly as shown in Figure 9,

Figure 12 is a view in elevation,

Figure 13 a plan view illustrating the invention as applied to a pontoonand comprising a plurality of fender elements suspended as shown in thecross-section of the construction in Figure 14,

Figure 15 being a diagrammatic View in plan showing the inter-connectionof the several fender elements, and

Figure 16 is a fragmentary view in plan illustrating an alternativemeans of suspending the fenders.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, I is a braced framework or pile trestleconstruction forming a jetty and provided with a platform 2 which isshown furnished with a crane track 3.

Between extensions 4 provided on each member 5 of the framework isarranged a fender 6 suspended by two pairs of chains 'I and 8, thechains being connected With brackets such as 9 with the structure and bybrackets I0 with the fender in such manner that the centre lines of thetop and bottom chains intersect at a point on a vertical through thecentre of gravity of the fender.

When the fenders are displaced in berthing, as will be seen from Figure1, they will be moved in an inward direction and will be caused to riseand they may be caused to assume the position indicated in dotted linein this figure.

Each of the fenders will normally be furnished with rubbing strips I Iand further each of the fenders may be and is shown connected with thestructure by a check chain I2.

Referring to Figures 4 to 7, which illustrate in cross-section a massconcrete pier embodying the invention, I3 are frame members secured tothe front of the pier the form of which can be seen from Figures 4 and5, and from the two half plan views in Figures 6 and 7, the lower partof each of which is a plan view on a plane indicated by the line A-A ofFigure 4, and the upper part a plan view on a plane indicated by theline B--B of Figure 4.

Between these frame members there are arranged fenders formed ofreinforced concrete suspended by pairs of chains I 4, 14a, connectedwith adjustable bolts I5, I5a the points of connection between thechains and the fenders being arranged so that at their lowermostpositions the fenders will be substantially vertical.

With this construction there is provided a check chain I6 connected witha screw I'I.

The fenders are furnished with timber rubbing strips I8 and on the framemembers there are provided timber guides I8.

Figure 8 illustrates a jetty comprising features in accordance with theinvention and at each end of the platform 20 of the jetty there is adolphin 2I which may be' of the character claimed in BritishSpecification No. 507,774,

With the jetty there are associated a plurality of frames, one of whichis illustrated in Figure 9.

Between the uprights of these frames there are arranged fenders 22 inthe form of steel tubes suspended by. chains in the manner generallyabove described with reference to Figure 7.

These chains are indicated by the reference 23 in Figures 9 and 10 andthey are adjusted so that normally the fenders will hang vertically sothat each may be displaced into the extreme position indicated in chaindotted line.

With the frames are associated stop guides 24, 25, adapted to limit thedegree of displacement of the fenders and with the fenders there may beassociated chains 26 adapted to pull the fenders back in rough weather,such chains being arranged to be operated from the level of the deck ofthe jetty by screw jack.

Figure 12 is a view in front elevation of a portion furnished with aplurality of fenders 21 shown in plan in Figure 13. These fenders are ofthe form shown in Figure 14, that is to say, each of them is a generallyL shaped member 2, one limb of which is furnished with rubbing strips orpads 28 and with an eye 29 by which it may be suspended by a chain 30from the cantilever 3|, a second eye 32 being provided to enable thefender to be lowered into (position initially and raised for inspectionor repair.

To the other limb there is secured a check chain 33 engaging an eye 34in the fender at one end and connected with a member 35 at the otherend, to enable the fenders if necessary to be drawn up and held againstthe pontoon in rough weather or in towing.

In this chain there is provided a turnbuckle 36.

On the lower end of the limb of the fender there is provided a curvedmetal element 31 adapted, when the fender is displaced fully inward, tocontact with the rubbing strip 38.

As will be seen from Figures 12 and 13 a plurality of such fenders arearranged closely adjacent one to the other and between each of them isarranged a bitumen jointing strip 39.

On the fenders there are provided collars or guides 40, 4I, 42 ofgenerally similar form and in these guides there are engaged, as shownin Figure 15, cables 43, each of such cables being taken about thefenders in the manner shown in the drawings so that five adjacentfenders` are tied together by the cables and each of the cables inaddition is taken about a fender of an adjacent group of ve. As analternative any other appropriate means may be employed for securing anarticulating connection between the fenders.

The connection of the fenders in this manner causes the movement of oneto effect a displacement of the fenders adjacent to it, so that theWhole assembly has the eiect of a flexible wall.

On the cantilever element 3| there is arranged a xed timber fender 44 ina position so that it will line up with the rubbing strips on thesuspended fenders when the suspension chain forms an angle of 60 withthe vertical, that is to say, when the fender has been brought into theposition shown in chain-dotted line.

Referring to Figure 16, which is a. fragmentary view in planillustrating an alternative means of suspending the fenders such asshown at 6 in Figures 1 and 2 as applied to a pier or the like oftubular construction the suspension means is constituted by links 45instead of chains and each of such links is secured to a pivot 46 on thefender and to a pivot 41 on a cantilever element 48, by which the fenderis suspended.

In this construction on the end of the cantilever elements which are inthe form of tubes, there are provided rollers 49 which will function asguides for the fenders in entering the spaces between the cantileverelements.

I claim: l

1. A berthing place having at least one side against which vessels maybe berthed, comprising a plurality of rigid fender elements, articulatedmeans suspending each of the fender elements from the berthing place sothat the fender elements may be moved by the pressure exerted againstthem by a vessel in berthing in an inward and simultaneously in anupward direction in opposition to the action of gravity.

2. A berthing place having at least one side against which vessels maybe berthed, comprising a plurality of rigid fender elements, chainssuspending each of the fender elements from the berthing place in suchmanner that the fender elements may be moved by the pressure exertedagainst them by a vessel in berthing in an inward and simultaneously inan upward direction in opposition to the action of gravity.

3. A berthing place having at least one side against which vessels maybe berthed, comprising a plurality of rigid fender elements, four chainssuspending each of the fender elements from the berthing place so thatthe fender elements may be moved bythe pressure exerted against them byavessel in berthing in opposition to the action of gravity, two of suchchains being connected with each of the fender elements adjacent to itsupper end, and two connected with each of the fender elements adjacentto its lower end.

4. A berthing place having at least one side against which vessels maybe berthed, comprising a plurality of rigid fender elements, four chainssuspending each of the fender elements from the berthing place so thatthe fender elements may be moved by the pressure exerted against them bya vessel in berthing in opposition to the action of gravity, two of suchchains being connected with each of the fender elements adjacent to itsupper end, and two connected with each fender element adjacent to itslower end, the points of suspension of the chains adjacent to the lowerextremtiy of the fender element being so positioned with respect to thecentre of gravity of the element that in its motion towards the jetty itwill remain substantially vertical.

ARTHUR I EMPIRE LANCEY BAKER.

